Counter Terrorist Operation in Tbilisi Still Underway

Special ops have been carrying out a special operation in Tbilisi against suspected terrorists for more than 20 hours.

Special ops started to evacuate a building in the Isani district in which they assume terrorists were located at around 20:00-21:00 in the evening of November 21. Residents of Gabriel Salosi street can hear gunshots this morning and afternoon.

Head of public relations of the State Security Service Nino Giorgobiani stated while speaking to journalists that the targeted individuals in the operation are members of a terroristic organization. Giorgobiani says one of the three of the suspected terrorists has been detained.

“According to the preliminary information, these individuals are not citizens of Georgia and they are members of a terrorist organization. It is noteworthy that the State Security Service was negotiating with them on the first stage so that they come forward to law enforcement authorities, to which they refused,” Giorgobiani said.

“Individuals opened fire and started throwing grenades at the special ops. One employee of the special ops has been injured as a result of the fire. Investigative measures are being taken in Georgia and outside of the country. We have evacuated people from flats and from surrounding territory. The damage caused to the residencies as a result of the special operation will be reimbursed to residents,” stated Giorgobiani.

Doctors say the condition of the injured special op agent is critical and he currently being operated on.

The State Security Service is still trying to detain the two remaining individuals.

US Ambassador Ian Kelly said that the “safety of residents” is the most important, and that once the special operation is over, the population will be given transparent information by law enforcement authorities.

Georgian Dream MP and majoritarian for Isani district Beka Natsvlishvili stated that “we should be hopeful for the special operation to be successful and that we don’t have any victims on any sides.”

Chairman of the Movement for Liberty - European Georgia political council, MP Giga Bokeria, emphasized that once everything is settled, information about the operation should be given to the population:

“First we should wish health to the injured special op soldier and hope that the operation will end without any victims. After that we all expect the information from the government because this is a serious issue, and society has the right to be informed at some point about what we are dealing with,” MP Bokeria said.